BRUSSELS, July 25 (Saba) -- The European Union Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) is expected in its meeting here on Monday to approve tough new sanctions against Iran which go well beyond those imposed by the UN Security Council in June, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

"This is the most substantive and far-reaching set of sanctions the EU has agreed to on Iran or indeed on any country," one EU diplomat was quoted saying in Brussels.
The new sanctions will target trade, finance, transport, energy, and oil and gas sector and expand the list of entities and persons included in the EU's blacklist.

The sanctions are aimed at putting pressure on the Islamic Republic to consent to UN demands to halt enrichment activities and come back to the negotiating table to resolve the nuclear issue.

European companies will no longer be allowed to invest in Iran's energy sector. Moreover, about 40 top Iranian officials will be added to an existing EU visa ban list and an asset freeze will be expanded, according to EU sources.

On 17 June, EU leaders in their summit in Brussels reaffirmed EU's commitment to work for a diplomatic solution to resolve Iran's nuclear standoff, but considered that new measures had become inevitable in the light of the situation.

On Sudan, the FAC will hold a broad strategic discussion on EU relations with Sudan, following the general elections in April and ahead of the referendum on South Sudan's self-determination in January.

The discussion will take place against the backdrop of the recent decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue a second arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on a charge of genocide in Darfur, in addition to the arrest warrant issued in March 2009 for war crimes and crimes against humanity, said EU sources.

The EU foreign ministers will issue a statement on Sudan expressing concern at the pattern of "increasing political repression in all areas of Sudan and at the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Darfur." On the Palestine question, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will brief the ministers on her recent trip to the Middle East and in particular on her visit to Gaza in the wake of the incident involving the Gaza aid flotilla.

The FAC is expected to call for the immediate, sustained, and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods, and persons to and from Gaza.

The FAC is also expected to reiterate calls for the proximity talks between Israelis and Palestinians to lead as soon as possible to the resumption of direct peace talks.
The meeting will also discuss the situation in Kosovo, following the publication of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday.

The ICJ opined that the declaration of independence by Kosovo from Serbian rule in February 2008 did not violate international law.

The EU foreign minister will discuss the way forward and stress that the opinion opens a new phase and that the focus should now be on the future.

They will reiterate the readiness of the EU to facilitate a process of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.

Saba